N.Y.S.C., Zumba, and Kicking with Kara - Oye!

Right around Christmas 2011, amid trays of cookies and mugs of hot chocolate, I decided that enough was enough. I marched the distance (one block) to__New York Sports Club__ and joined before I had time to change my mind. For a reasonable price, it offered all the tools I needed to jump-start a new fit lifestyle.

Kara Doyle (front left) leading a Zumba class at New York Sports Club.

My first weapon of choice: the elliptical, which quickly became
snooze-worthy. In search of something new, I began to explore N.Y.S.C.’s
Zumba classes, a fun way to work up a sweat. It took a while for me to move past the slogan, “Ditch the workout, join the party,” but I soon came to realize I was in the market to do just that.

What is Zumba? Founded in the mid-90s by Alberto “Beto” Perez, an aerobics instructor, Zumba is a Latin-based dance-fitness program. An instant hit, it quickly became a profitable business, now with video games, DVDs, and classes in gyms worldwide.

Moving to the beat of primarily Latin and international music, from salsa and merengue to hip-hop—with staple artists such as __Pitbull—__ZINs (Zumba Instructors) use nonverbal cues to lead. Fast songs are juxtaposed with slower ones in playlists to raise and lower heart rates for maximum caloric burn. And it works! My body was changing, and I was craving more. And then I discovered fitness instructor Kara Doyle.

Hidden in the back, I was at first alarmed when Kara walked in and turned on the “club lights”—my shirt began to glow, ruining any chance of invisibility. But I soon lost all sense of self-consciousness; Kara’s energy was palpable, spreading through the studio like dance-fueled wildfire. The class jumped, shook, shimmied, hooted, cheered, clapped, and catcalled its way through 55 minutes, with Kara front and center, laughing and cracking cheesy (sorry, Kara) jokes.

Kara is one of those inspirational instructors with a cult following and a sphere of influence beyond just Zumba. She’s a certified personal trainer, maintains a day job in finance, and leads a multitude of other classes at N.Y.S.C., including __Total Body Conditioning, Core Conditioning,andTurbo Kick—__all hardcore programs designed to whip your body into shape. Never did I ever think I’d see the day when I would actually look forward to lifting weights for 45 minutes (ew), but T.B.C. is just what I needed to strengthen and tone my arms. And, dare I say it, I even see some abs, thanks to the core classes. I’ve gained a new mentality: I no longer feel like I have to go to the gym—I want to. A three hour weekly Saturday AM workout? Bring it. And talk about the endorphins! Kara’s slogan: “Fitness for life,” and I am seriously hooked.